Sunday, February 15, 2015

6 Tips to Avoid Ski Lift Lines | Timing is Everything

You could always get up
earlier, as if we don’t get up early enough as it is. Of course, if you can ski
weekdays you avoid the lines, but we’re not talking to you.

(1) Get Back

If you hit the mountain when
the lifts open you usually have a good two hours before the big crowds hit. If
you’re at a resort like Keystone that has back mountains or Vail with their
back bowls, head straight there. It’s tempting to enjoy the fresh corduroy
right when you get up, but be strong, the hordes are coming and you can beat
them to the back.

(2) Stay Back

It takes quite a while for the
crowds to get to the back areas because, for one: they aren’t as smart as you
and for two: they didn’t read these tips. An added bonus: the beginners and
hacks couldn’t make it that far back until noon if they tried, and they are
trying, believe me.

(3) Time Your Drinking

Let’s see, if the lifts open at
8:30 and it takes two hours for the crowds to infiltrate your runs, guess what
time it is? That’s right: it’s beer-thirty. It’s no coincidence that most
mountain bars open at 10:30; these people know what they’re doing.After shredding fresh powder and hopefully
first tracks, a nice frosty mug of beer awaits, especially if you’re at a back
lodge like the Outpost at Keystone (say “Hi” to Marty, he’s been bartending
there for probably longer than you’ve been breathing) or Two-Elks at the top of
China Bowl at Vail.

(4) Lunch is for Wimps

By the time your break is over,
the snow-plowing crowd is ready for lunch. This is your next chance to avoid
lines. Always ski through lunch; you’re not going to be able to find a table
anyway and the lines for food move painfully slow. Besides that, you’re wasting
valuable, non-crowded slope-time.

(5) Late Lunch Anyone

The crowds have thinned and you
can actually find a table after 1 o-clock. If you come any earlier, the line at
the bar is as long as at the grill so what good is that?

(6) What? It’s Beer Thirty Again?

After a late lunch, the front
has thinned because the flat-landers are worn out and calling it a day. Sure a
lot of folks are headed down for the day so the lower runs may get crowded but
the lifts going up should have no lines. Just make sure you get last call at
the top, because that run at the end of the day after a cold one, when the
mountain has been cleared of human obstacles is the best.